Page 8 of Those That Defy the Realm

“Done. But I get to choose the film.” His grin is full of cunning, and I know I’m in for an evening of some over the top action thriller. One where we both end up shouting at the screen for the unbelievable situations the characters find themselves in.

“Fine,” I say, resigned. At least I’ll get to stuff my face with carbs in the form of cheese, mushrooms and dough.

“You okay?” David’s smile drops and lines form on his forehead. I’m told we have very similar expressions, but I don’t see it. David wears his emotions on his sleeve. One look at his face, his hazel eyes, and you can read him like a book. Me? I really hope people don’t see what I’m feeling half the time.

I might have the same hazel eyes and mousy brown hair, but sometimes I think my brother got all the easy-going genes. He never seems stressed or worried about anything. He’s confident without being cocky, and I know he attracts the opposite sex like bees to honey. Gods, even my best friends used to chat about how hot he is. Me? I’m invisible. Especially since Declan.

“Claire?” David steps further into the room.

“Sorry,” I finally reply. “I’m really stuck in my own head at the moment.”

“So I see. Want to talk about it?”

“Nah, it’s not important.” I shake my head and stand from my bed, straightening the covers.

“If something's bothering you then it must be at least somewhat important.” He holds my door open to let me step past him and out into the hallway before following at my back as we head downstairs.

“It’s nothing new. I’m fine,” I say on autopilot.

“Is it about Rory?” Her name said aloud makes me stumble as we make it to the kitchen.

Giving a non-committal noise in response, I pull the drawer open where we keep the take-out menus, digging through the stack to find the one for my favourite pizza place.

“I still think about her, you know?” my brother says, coming to lean against the countertop next to me.

Pausing in my rummaging, my eyes lift to meet his in surprise. “You do?”

Last Hallow’s Eve, he and my best friend almost had a thing, and it came to light that my brother had a small crush on her. But nothing happened as Rory met Ty around the same time and they got together. David hadn’t seemed broken up about it, bar a small hit to his pride.

“Of course. She was part of our lives growing up. It’s weird that she’s not around anymore.” His voice takes on a softer tone. “Although maybe she wasn't who we thought she was if she could disappear like that and leave everyone to pick up the pieces.”

I slam the drawer shut.

“What?” Anger immediately fizzles to life in my veins.

“Claire, come on. You and Bree put so much effort into finding her, that both your lives are not what you planned.”

“No,” I snap. “Rory isn’t to blame here. She wouldn’t have left without a trace if she had a choice.”

“So you say, but then it’s her boyfriend's fault. And she must’ve let him manipulate her somehow. Like you⁠—”

Screaming in frustration, I cut him off and turn to march out of the kitchen, but David’s hand lands on my arm. Rounding back on him, I yell, “Or maybe they’re both in trouble and everyone just wants to assume anything that makes it easy for them to forget about her and move on with their lives.”

“The authorities didn’t find any evidence of foul play. You know this. They left on a boat and went to the capital.” David tells me the official conclusion I’ve heard a thousand times. The one the authorities released, showing the booking confirmation of their passage on one of the ferries.

“You know Rory wouldn’t do that,” I growl through gritted teeth.

“Claire, you’ve got to stop ignoring the evidence.”

Done with this conversation, and being in David’s presence, I yank my arm back and run to the stairs, not stopping until I’m back in my room with the door slammed shut.

Leaning back on the wood, I inhale deeply to calm the rage inside me.

Rory didn’t leave voluntarily. I know it. And Ty wasn’t a manipulator, I could tell. He was completely besotted with Rory. He hung on her every word.

David’s words play on repeat in my head. Bree has said something similar. So have my parents, the authorities, and the newspapers.

But since my own experience with a master narcissist I’ve become good at reading people. I might not want to trust my own heart with someone else again but I trusted Rory’s with Ty. If only someone would believe me enough to help me figure out what really happened to them both.